Merry Christmas and Happy New Year is “Bon Nadal i Feliç Any Nou” in Catalan and “Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo” in Spanish
Scroll down the page to read about Christmas in Barcelona
Christmas weather in Barcelona Christmas fairs & markets in Barcelona
Christmas fare and restaurants open at Christmas
“La Misa Del Gallo” - Midnight Mass
The Reyes Magos - Parades in Barcelona “El Pessebre” - The Crib - nativity scenes
“El Caganer” - The “crapper” “Tió de Nadal” - The Christmas log “L’Home dels Nassos” – The Noses Man Barcelona New Year traditions
Christmas weather in Barcelona
Christmas in Barcelona is a festive time of year. The shops, streets and avenues of Barcelona are beautifully decorated with dazzling Christmas lights and decorations. The streets and shops of Barcelona almost burst at the seams with shoppers and Christmas gifts.
You can dream of a White Christmas in Barcelona, but that is one dream that is unlikely to come true. On average Barcelona does get a dusting of snow once a year, but the chances of it falling on Christmas Eve are slim.
It is, however, just frosty enough to make Christmas in Barcelona feel like a wintery affair but not too cold to stop you from enjoying being out in the streets to fully savour the Christmas lights and atmosphere.
The lowest measure on the big outdoor thermometer near Plaça Catalunya does go down to -5 Celsius, but generally the mid-day temperatures at the end of December are around 14 to 16 degrees Celsius. In the December evenings the temperature can drop to somewhere between 7 and 15 degrees Celsius. Perfect for Christmas shopping!
So how do the Spanish and Catalans celebrate Christmas? Well. The 24th & 25th of December (El dia de Nadal or El día de Navidad) are celebrated, but then Christmas just goes on and on right up until the 6th of January, when the Three Kings arrive in town.
Here are some of the most important Christmas and New Year (Cap d'Any or Año Nuevo) traditions and events in Barcelona.
Christmas fairs & markets in Barcelona
The oldest, biggest and most traditional Christmas market in Barcelona with almost 400 stalls is the “Fira de Santa Llúcia”, or in Spanish “Fira de Santa Lucia” on the Avenida de la Catedral in front of Barcelona’s Cathedral. The earliest recorded Christmas market in this location in Barcelona took place in 1786. It runs from 1st December to 23rd December every year
The Avenida and small streets by the Cathedral are filled with stalls selling Christmas decorations and especially the “figuritas de Belén,” the tiny figures to make your own crib scenes.
Be warned however. The “figuritas de Belén,” are not cheap and if you want the de-luxe shepherds hut with adjoining stream and wooden bridges, plus palm trees, camels and the whole malarkey, you should consider buying a lottery ticket for the Spanish Christmas Lottery, El Gordo. Or do what many do, which is to add a few pieces to your Pessebre collection every year.
Here are some of the most popular Christmas fairs in Barcelona:
The “Fira de Santa Llúcia” Christmas fair Around Cathedral of Barcelona
Av. De la Cathedral
Usually open from around: 1/12 to 23/12 from 10.00 to 22.00
The Sagrada Familia Christmas Fair
Sagrada Familia
Usually open from around: 1/12 to 23/12 from 10.00 to 20.00
The Plaça de Sants Christmas Fair
Joan Güell – Plaça de Sants
Usually open from around: 1/12 to 23/12 from 10.00 to 20.00
The Three Kings Fair Gran Via between streets Muntaner and Entença
Usually open from around: 26/12/08 to 6/1-2009
Christmas fare and restaurants open at Christmas in Barcelona
In Catalonia at Christmas “escudella” is a typical dish. This is a delicious meat and vegetable stew. The can be followed by "Car D’Olla" (a special roast) followed by stuffed capon or turkey. Dessert could be traditional “torrons,” which is on sale at Christmas markets and supermarkets everywhere in Barcelona. This is nougat made with almonds, hazelnuts and honey. Christmas bread, “El Pa de Nadal” is sold at bakeries all over Barcelona.
Not all restaurants are open in Barcelona at Christmas. Generally the bigger chain restaurants and the hotel restaurants stay open during Christmas, but to avoid disapointment we recommend contacting restaurants to check their opening times and to make a reservation. Click here to visit our listings for restaurants in Barcelona.
Midnight Mass is celebrated on Christmas Eve in Barcelona. The chiming of church bells summons families to the mass which is called "La Misa Del Gallo" - The Mass of the Rooster. This names derives from the belief that only time that a rooster crowed at midnight was on Christmas Eve when Jesus was born.
The Midnight Mass is a charming service. The most memorable Christmas mass can be found 40 km northwest of Barcelona in "la Basílica de Montserrat," the Benedictine monastery wedged between the steep cliffs of Montserrat.
It is special here because of the angelic and memorizing voices of Europe's oldest boys' choir called L’Escolania de Montserrat. It really is something everyone should hear. A CD simply does not do the live experience justice.
Who’s your Santa? The Reyes Magos rule the celebrations!
Although you can see the jolly old red suited black booted bell ringing Santa Claus in shopping malls in Barcelona and on Spanish TV stations, he is not the star of the Christmas celebrations in Barcelona.
The tradition in Spain and Catalonia is that the biggest Christmas celebration is not on 25th December, when JC is born, but the big day is when “Los Reyes Magos”, the Three Kings of the Orient (also known as the Three Wise Men Balthasar, Caspar and Melchior) arrive to see the new born baby Jesus ( or “Jesús” as he is known here!)
This is called the Night of the 3 Kings, the “Cabalgata los Reyes Magos,” - "Cavalcada de Reis" in Catalan and The Three Kings’ Parade and also know as the “Twelfth Night procession”
It makes sense from a gift point of view. Santa Claus is a fine guy with the best of intentions, but we all know he was dreamed up by Coca-Cola as a modern day mutant Saint Nicholas and that he certainly was not in Bethlehem on 25th December in the Year zero with a bulging sack of pressies.
The Three Kings were definately there, albeit 12 days late, but bearing great pressies! So the Kings are worth waiting for.
The Reyes Magos parade in Spain and Barcelona is on 5th January every year. This is the evening before Twelfth Night Epiphany on 6th January, which is the day when the children get their biggest haul of presents.
On the night of 5th December Spanish and Catalan children don’t put a stocking out by the chimney, but instead they put out their shoes for the Three Kings to fill. And some hay and water for the camels, instead of milk and cookies for Santa.
So the 6th January is the biggest gift giving day of the year. On the morning of the 6th January the hay and water is gone and the shoes are filled with gifts!
One of the biggest markets for Christmas toys in Barcelona can be found in the area of Eixample on the street Gran Via between the streets of Rocafort and Muntaner. It is called "la feria de Reyes de la Gran Via" and has 300 markets stalls open from 10.00 to 22.00. You can buy toys and other traditional "Reyes" gifts like "carbon de azucar" (candy coal!)
Each barrio or neighbourhood in Barcelona has its local Three Kings parade which consists a driving procession of impressively decorated “carrozas” ( parade floats.) The most important float carries the stars of the parade, the 3 Kings. But there are many others, each one is full of people tossing candy to the jubilant throngs of families and children who line the parade route. It’s Barcelona and it’s free candy! Life is sweet!
The biggest Three Kings parade in Barcelona is at the marina at the end of Las Ramblas and usually starts at 16.30.
Here the the Reyes Magos come sailing in from the sea to the delight of crowds gathered at the harbour steps of the Moll de Fusta in Port Vell.
There are cheers, fireworks and fog horns blasts from the flotilla of boats gathered in the port. It’s very festive and well worth seeing if you are in town and thought Christmas was over!
Then the Three Kings travel by vintage car to the Parc de La Cuitadella and from there the Reyes Procession starts around 18.30 and goes through town until 21.00.
Children from 8 years and adults onward can volunteer to be part of the "La Cabalgata de los Reyes" parade on the website www.bcn.cat/nadal
The programme is usually as follows:
16.30. Greetings from the royal pages and retinue at Moll de la Fusta.
17.00. Arrival of the Three Kings at Moll de la Fusta, to be welcomed by the Mayor of Barcelona in the name of the city.
18.00: The Three Kings travel to the Parc de la Ciutadella in vintage car.
18.30: Start of the procession. Route: Avinguda del Marquès de l'Argentera, Via Laietana, Plaça d'Urquinaona, Fontanella (19.30), Plaça de Catalunya, Pelai, Plaça de la Universitat, Ronda de Sant Antoni, Sepúlveda, Vilamarí, Lleida, Rius i Taulet and the Magic Fountain (21.00).
As in many latin countries a Spanish and Catalan Christmas would not be complete without the nativity scene, complete with palm trees, shepherds, 3 wise men on camels, Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus.
The nativity scene in Catalonia is called “El Pessebre” in Catalan, which literally means “the crib.” It is called “El Belén” in Spanish. “Belén de Judá” means “Bethlehem of Judea”
Crib scenes displays can be found many places in Barcelona on plazas, in churches and in all Catalan homes. You can find more information about Pessebres on the official Pessebre website! Check it out! It's cool although they don't have T-shirts!
Places in Barcelona to see a Christmas Pessebres include:
If you want to start your own Pessebre – then head for the Christmas markets.
“El Caganer” - The “crapper”
Among the figures in many “Pessebres” you will find a funny little fellow, who is very Catalan.
He is the bad boy of Catalan navitivy scenes, “El Caganer” which literally means “The shitter!”
This elf or gnome or albino smurf with a red cap can be found with his trousers down, his backside bare, defecating somewhere in the nativity scene! Hahahahahha. And they say the Catalans are a bit reserved. It's great!
His origins are a bit murky, but apparently he has been dropping his britches to "fertilize the earth" since the middle of the 19th century at least. He is a very popular fellow and brings good luck. He can be seen in in many forms and public figures have the honour of being portrayed with their pants down at Christmas.
There has been talk of banning this little guy from the biggest official Pessebres for being politically incorrect, especially in times when we are trying nightlife revellers not to use the streets as public toilets. You read more about that in this fine article about Catalan Caganer's by Jeremy Rose.
“ Tió de Nadal” - The Christmas log
Another Christmas tradition in Catalonia is the “Tió de Nadal.” Tió in this case is Catalan, not Castellano and the word means “log” and not “uncle” or “guy” in Spanish.
So the “Tió de Nadal” is a Christmas log. At first glance you might think that this is just a pretty lame Christmas decoration. It’s a small hollow log. A log with a happy face painted on it and a little hat. Not exactly work of art!
But it is more than that. And this log won’t be smiling for long. This is not a story with a happy ending.
Here’s the good bit. The Christmas log is also called “Caga Tió” in Catalan. The shitting log! Yes we know. We are sorry. It’s a bit disgusting. What can I say? Please don’t e-mail us to complain. It’s tradition. They have a faeces thing in Catalonia. E-mail the Catalan Government if you want to complain.
Let me explain why the log got that name. The tradition goes like this. The smiling log is looked after from the 8th December, the day of Immaculate Conception “Dia de la Immaculada Concepció,” It even gets a red blanket to keep it warm at night.
Then on Christmas Day the children beat the log and yell “Caga Tió,” which is the imperative tense of the the verb "to defacate" so it means "Shit log!" Then they sing “Caga Tió” songs to get the log to “poo” some presents.
Then if they have a fireplace they burn the “Tió!” It's all a bit Guantanamo Bay if you ask me, but it works. After a thorough beating and being burnt or partially burnt and sung at, the log naturally defecates some presents or sweets. Who wouldn't? And some say the Catalans don’t have a sense of humour! Ha Ha. . It's great!
“L’Home dels Nassos” – The Noses Man
New Year's traditions in Barcelona. “L’Home dels Nassos” is another curious Catalan tradition. This tradition is for New Year’s Eve on on the 31st December, also called the day of San Silvestre, Saint Sylvester. (This is also the name of a 10 km San Silvestre run in Barcelona on 30th December.
L’Home dels Nassos roams the streets on 31st December every year handing out candy to the children. His name is derived from the many noses on his face – one for each day of the year.
Barcelona New Years' Eve traditions
New Years Eve is celebrated like most countries with food and parties. At midnight everyone eats the twelve lucky grapes, one at each strike of the bell, and toasts with Cava.
According to an excellent book by Valerie Collins and Theresa O’Shea called “In the Garlic” this tradition is explained as follows:
“As for the grapes, you might imagine that the custom of eating twelve lucky uvas at midnight on December 31 dates back to ancient times. In fact, it was dreamed up by Valencian grape-growers in 1909 as a way of getting rid of an extra-bumper crop. One grape after each chime of the clock to give thanks for the past year's good luck and in anticipation of the lucky year to come. A hundred years is a short time when it comes to gene development, but it seems the Spanish have already honed the how-to-eat-12-grapes-in-12-seconds-without-choking gene. Actually, they cheat. The Puerta del Sol clock in Madrid , which everybody watches on TV, is slowed down to a more digestible one strike every three seconds.”
Visit their website http://www.inthegarlic.com for more information about ordering this book. It is a must-have for foreign residents of Barcelona. The title "In the Garlic" is a translation of the Spanish phrase estar "en el ajo" which means to be "in the know!" that is to say, to know about something or to "be in on it!"
New Years Eve is celebrated on Plaza Catalunya in the centre of town and many people choose to celebrate at bars, clubs and restaurants and clubs in Barcelona. Fireworks do not play a major part in the New Year celebrations in Barcelona, so there is no official city fireworks display.
That's all we have for now - except to wish you all a Bon Nadal i Feliç any Nou!
